Ever wondered how to make your own homemade baby wipes? Yes, I said baby wipes.
I never had thought of it either. Then again, I never thought I'd be making my own baking powder, egg replacer, vegetable broth mix, tortillas, or bread for that matter.
What started me thinking about this topic again, since my youngest is well out of the diaper stage, was a situation that occured this past week.
I was staying after church and talking with a friend. Her older little one came in and proclaimed quite astutely that Baby Sister was in the car with Dad and needed to be changed, but there were no wipes!
I mentioned what we had used for wipes, but didn't think until today about all of the steps that had led to my making them the way that I did. Here goes....
I told you back in one of my posts about making the perfect popcorn that I am willing to pay for quality items, but not for things that I can make myself.
Well, I guess that actually is only a half truth. In fact, I could make some of the clothes that I am willing to pay for, but I don't have a sewing machine currently and though I consider myself a good seamstress, I was never really satisfied with the things that I made when I did sew a lot.
So moreso my DIY tendencies are in the food and home / personal care department.
I see cutting my home and cooking budget almost like a game.
It's the "Cigiomi Flang CDI" game.
"Can I Get It Or Make It For Less And Not Go Crazy Doing It" Game. Get it? Did I digress again?
Homemade baby wipes fall into this category.
Years ago, when my oldest was born, I was told by his wonderful physician who delivered him at home (remind me to post about our home birth and how this amazing man saved me from years of misery by telling me to breastfeed my child for as long as I could) that our son was very sensitive and we were not to use store-bought wipes on him. So I started on my quest for a substitute. Little did I know how much wisdom there was in my pediatrician's advice. My son proved to be exceedingly sensitive and ended up with a number of physical issues that eventually led to an autism diagnosis around the age of 7.
Back to the wipes--At my baby shower, a friend gave me "make your own wipe" instructions that consisted of cutting a roll of paper towels in half and then soaking them in a combination of baby shampoo, baby oil and water.
I liked the idea of saving money by making my own wipes, but it sounded tedious and perfumey. If my son's skin was already sensitive, why would I be putting this concoction on his skin?
In fact, there are even medical studies showing that commercial baby wipes are causing skin problems not just for babies, but also for adults! See this article from the UK regarding the need to keep chemicals away from baby's skin and also the abstracts of a study done by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
There are a TON of recipes on the web for Homemade Baby Wipes.
Mine, I guarantee, is the easiest. But if you are dead set on making something scented, check out localharvest.org for the best and most concise ones that I saw.
What I used were two different, yet similar versions of the Easiest Diaper Wipes Ever.
Ingredients
- Paper towels
- Water
Instructions
- Wet paper towels.
- Squeeze out extra water.
- Place in small plastic container or baby wipes container.
- Wipe baby when changing diaper and discard.
Notes
Version 2 (for cloth diapering families)
Same as above, but substitute rags or baby wash cloths for the paper towels and wash with cloth diapers after use.We used Version 1 when we were using disposable diapers (and if we were in a pinch) and Version 2 when we were cloth diapering.
Now, I know that you might be thinking, "Don't I need a nice scent for my baby's precious bottom?" I can only tell you that the amazing physician whom I mention above gave me the basic idea for this method and though I thought it ridiculous at first, my pocketbook and my busy days really welcomed it, and I am so thankful that we did not go down the path of using regular wipes.
When you think about it, this really makes sense logically. When we adults use the bathroom, are we using fragrant toilet paper to clean ourselves? Now, granted, we don't sit in a diaper for any amount of time, but with the modern disposable diapers and the modern cloth counterparts, our children are sitting in mess for a lot less time than they used to.
This baby wipe method is similar to my Jojoba and Rose Water Facial Cleanser that I posted about. Simple to make, easy to use and cost effective.
I personally think that our society is way too dependent upon packaged food, cleaning items and personal care products.
When we make basic items simply from things that we have around the house, we end up with less clutter in a lot of arenas of our lives: spending less money, wasting fewer resources, creating less garbage, using fewer toxic chemicals, creating less pollution and saving time in the process.
I think that's a recipe that I would like to follow for all of life! How about you?
Do you have a favorite frugal and eco-friendly tip?
Why can’t you use moistened toilet paper and then you can flush immediately - no problems with washing after or worrying about disposal - obvious !!!
Yes, that's an option as well. They don't work well in a small container, however.
Seriously! Wet toilet paper??? It goes to shreds and leaves pieces on the baby's bottom and NEVER hold up to carry in a diaper bag! You ever try wetting toilet paper to wash your toushie?? And would have to use huge amounts of TP not cost effective at all!! I am nurse midwife who has lived the natural as possible lifestyle since the '90's! Sorry but maybe in an emergency but cannot see this as viable even having water in a container with a roll of TP on the changing table. And some TP is so irritating to adult bottoms let alone a baby. Just saying.
Hi Diane. Yes, some toilet paper can be a problem but actually I use wet TP sometimes and it helps. Also one thing to think about is that often wipes have chemicals in them that are irritating to anyone's skin. Just a thought. Thanks for commenting and hope that explains her thinking.